TSN host James Duthie, who first reported on the trade and - apparently - also told Cory Schneider about the trade, spoke with Schneider via phone on Sunday afternoon.

Schneider spoke fondly of his time in the Canucks organization, his relationship with Roberto Luongo and 'hoped' that Luongo would continue to be the excellent goalie for the Canucks that he'd always been.

Transcript of Schneider's comments after the jump.

Duthie first asked about Schneider's reaction to all of a sudden being moved when all the speculation had been that Lu would be making way:

It was pretty stunning; in this business you know you are always in the mix, you are always fair game. I really felt that having spent my entire career there, having been in the organization a long time, I was hoping to spend the rest of my career in Vancouver and when I signed the extension. But circumstances changed, the cap came down, the salary cap re-capture stuff sort of changed the dynamics of the market. It’s one of those things where unfortunately it came down to this. So while I'm sad to leave a place like Vancouver, a great hockey city, I’m also excited to be joining New Jersey. They’re a great organization.

Duthie suggests that it was he who informed Schneider about the trade, then asks him about his initial reaction:

It was, I was just sort of speechless. Ever since we acquired Lui, I think in 2006 – I was still a prospect – every trade deadline and every draft I was supposed to be traded. So for ever and ever, it was ‘you’re goint to get traded’. For the last year I thought, Ok, maybe this is the year I wouldn’t be traded; you don’t know how to react when it finally happens, you don’t know what to say or think. The more it kicks in, the more excited I am about this new opportunity. Being from the east coast and ot move back east, be closer to family and friends, it’ll be a great thing. Again the Devils have had a lot of success the last twenty years so I’m excited to become a part of that.

Any worreis about Brodeur’s successor?

No I don’t think so. Again, being in a market like Vancouver, trying to replace a guy like Roberto Luongo is a tall task; it comes with a lot of pressure. This will as well, Marty has clearly been probably the best goalie to ever play the game. I don’t think anybody can necessarily come in and replace what he’s done for that franchise. I ‘m just going to come in and try to be me, be the player, the best player in the organization. I’m looking forward to working with Marty, not many goalies early in their career can work with both Roberto Luongo and Brodeur. You’d be considered pretty lucky I think.

Now that it’s over – can put the bizarre sequence of events it’s been into words?

It was just a starnge year in general, with the lockout, a short season, nothing really felt normal, throughout all this he was super supportive and helpful, just wanted the best for me and his career, it’s nice to have a resolution I guess and move on, to go and move on with your career. I’m hopefully that he’ll go and come back with Vancouver and be the goalie we all know he can. I owe a lot to him in terms of how I was handled in my development and in this league, hopefully we’ll remain friends.

Spoken with Luongo today?

Little bit ya, it was suprising to both of us; he’s been waiting to be traded for the last year and sort of had one foot out the door and then told ‘you’re not’; that takes some getting used to. But again, like I said, he’s been a true professional throughout this whole thing and I’m sure he’ll find a way to, like I said, continue playing at a high level.

Patrick Johnston is a Vancouver journalist. In addition to regular contributions here at Canucks Army, his work has appeared in The Province, Hockey Now and on the CBC. Check out his blog and other writing at http://johnstonwrites.wordpress.com or follow him on twitter: @risingaction

How did Duthie find out and let him know via text before anyone at the Canucks could? Someone in Canucks management would have known before Duthie did, so why didn't they do the classy thing and call/text him ahead of time before anyone else did?

As an Oilers fan I come as a friend not to troll. I think there is an overwhelming sigh of relief that Gillis backed outta the deal. I am amazed he did. I think Schneider is a slight upgrade on Dubby now and projects to be better over ime.

I read the words of Loungo talking about Schneider and that he was the goalie stylistically, and technically that he wasn't. Its hard to compare goalies and I don't know the metics in involved in goalie evaluation. On paper arguement one can be made Dubby and Schneider are comparables, and subjectively I think an educated fan can see simply how much better Schneider is in terms of skill, speed, and technical ability. However someone point out the difference of goalies based on entire season with complete disreguard of the swiss cheeze defence corps Dubby had and the fact Schneider had one of best defensive units, is about 13 goals. One can estimate that being 4 or 5 more wins. Thats significant.
Gillis would of closed the gap between the Oil and Canucks, however I am.glad he did not. The return was an insane overpayment. The arguement could be made about the Varlamov return was more, but the was a stupid in the future trade that backfired. I think Schneider was worth a top 10-15 pick. This was a good draft. You guys got a top six forward in Horvat who played tough comps and excelled, and was an OHL playoff MVP. Playoff MVP's are like Taylor Hall. The kids big and competes. Enjoy.

Calgary's screw up in leaving Shinkaruk for you guys is bewildering. Send Feaster a thank you card

The Canucks are so stupid. They trade Neely, they piss off Bure, they now trade a potential all star young goalie. With moves like those, you can bet we will never see a cup here ever. At least the Grizzlies stunk and moved away, the Canucks just keep hanging around here like a puss filled deep pimple on a humid day.

Funny, I didn't see the owner fly over to Luo's place after the Boston final melt downs. Just cause the guy's got money don't mean he knows the hockey game. Owner was too cheap to buy him out and too stupid to fire the person who gave out that fat contract that started this mess long ago...and that would be Sweaty Gillis.